1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording control apparatus, a recording control method, a control program, a recording medium on which a control program is recorded, a recording control system, and an information processing system, used for control over image recording of supervision targets to which RFID tags are attached.
2. Background Art
Currently, a detection system using RFID tags has been widely employed as a technique for detecting illegal takeout of commodities such as shoplifting and robbery in stores or other places. According to this system, an RFID tag is attached to each commodity, and a gate containing an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves to and from the RFID tag is equipped in the vicinity of the entrance and exit of a store. When a person bringing a commodity passes through the gate without permission, the antenna contained in the gate communicates with the RFID tag and detects illegal takeout of the commodity.
For example, JP-A-2004-135045 (publication date: Apr. 30, 2004) discloses a system for preventing illegal use of electronic equipment. According to this system, a reader/writer is provided on a credit terminal equipped at the checkout counter in a store, and an RFID tag is fixed to the checkout counter. The credit terminal constantly judges whether the credit terminal is communicating with the RFID tag in the normal condition. When it is determined that the credit terminal cannot communicate with the RFID tag in the normal way, a security process is executed such that the ordinary functions of the credit terminal cannot be offered. Thus, when the credit terminal is stolen, illegal use of the credit terminal is prevented by suspending communication between the credit terminal and the RFID tag fixed to the checkout counter.
Additionally, JP-A-2003-317169 (publication date: Nov. 7, 2003) discloses a monitoring system which uses an RFID tag attached to a monitoring target and includes an image-recording/monitoring device provided with a unit for receiving output signals from the RFID tag. The recording/monitoring device determines the transmission direction based on the output signals from the RFID tag to follow the monitoring target so that the image of the target can be recorded and monitored. Thus, the monitoring system can record and monitor the image of the monitoring target as the moving body while recognizing and following the monitoring target.
However, in the system for detecting illegal takeout of commodities by recognizing the RFID tag using the antenna contained in the gate, the gate is required to be equipped at all the entrances and exits in the store. It is therefore necessary to decrease the number of the entrances and exits in the store to the smallest possible number or to provide a lot of gates containing the antenna. Moreover, this system cannot detect illegal takeout through routes other than through the gates.
The system disclosed in JP-A-2004-135045 can prevent illegal use of stolen electronic equipment, but cannot prevent robbery itself.
The system disclosed in JP-A-2003-317169 can only determine the transmission direction of the RFID tag and follow the monitoring target so that the image of the target can be recorded and monitored. It is thus possible that an image of the back of the person carrying the commodity to which the RFID tag is attached is recorded, for example. In this case, the image cannot be used as an evidence image showing robbery.